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Abstract
Large Language Models (LLMs) as stochastic systems may generate numbers that
deviate from available data, a failure known as \emph{numeric hallucination}.
Existing safeguards -- retrieval-augmented generation, citations, and
uncertainty estimation -- improve transparency but cannot guarantee fidelity:
fabricated or misquoted values may still be displayed as if correct. We propose
\textbf{Proof-Carrying Numbers (PCN)}, a presentation-layer protocol that
enforces numeric fidelity through mechanical verification. Under PCN, numeric
spans are emitted as \emph{claim-bound tokens} tied to structured claims, and a
verifier checks each token under a declared policy (e.g., exact equality,
rounding, aliases, or tolerance with qualifiers). Crucially, PCN places
verification in the \emph{renderer}, not the model: only claim-checked numbers
are marked as verified, and all others default to unverified. This separation
prevents spoofing and guarantees fail-closed behavior. We formalize PCN and
prove soundness, completeness under honest tokens, fail-closed behavior, and
monotonicity under policy refinement. PCN is lightweight and model-agnostic,
integrates seamlessly into existing applications, and can be extended with
cryptographic commitments. By enforcing verification as a mandatory step before
display, PCN establishes a simple contract for numerically sensitive settings:
\emph{trust is earned only by proof}, while the absence of a mark communicates
uncertainty.